


Beyond Growtown

by windows_xp



Category: Micromon, Nexomon (Video Game), Nexomon: Extinction (Video Game)
Genre: 2nd Person, Gen, Not a Crossover, Time Loop, this is angst i think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:34:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28782048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/windows_xp/pseuds/windows_xp
Summary: You've watched Pixekai get deleted more times than you can count. The only way to stop the time loop is to confront Malk — who’s trapped in it, too.
Kudos: 5





	Beyond Growtown

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I published this on Groundhog's Day. Go figure.

B003 disappeared in a flash of red, fading into nothing as the world wobbled and turned. 

Findoran, your trusted partner Micromon, stepped back in fatigue. You stared, expectant, at the professor. 

It didn’t make sense. You’d  _ beat _ him. 

Why was Malk still smiling? 

“Haha.” He still had that lazy slouch. Those grinning eyes. 

Your friends — Zeth and Cyborg — remained by your side, waiting for the professor to explain. Before the world ends. 

“You’re too late, kids.” 

The trees on the horizon were still quivering like bees. The sky, a plateau of baby blue, stretched up and yawned. The black dots swirling between your eyes — they were dead pixels, you realized.

“Now,” said Malk, turning towards the sky, “Let me show you… My masterpiece!” 

He spread his arms. The clearing was suddenly engulfed in the clear, almost holy, white light. The faces of your friends, illuminated, terrified, disappeared. The only thing left was the sound of Malk’s voice. 

“…Ha…”

And then that faded away, too. Suddenly you were aware you were no longer in the clearing. 

A turquoise screen. The ability to move was gone. You had no sensation in your body — did you even have a body at all? You could only stare at the screen. 

**1.0,** it read. The one began to blink. 

1.0.

1.0.

1.0.

**2.0.**

The screen turned red. You shut your eyes and braced yourself.  _ This is the end.  _

But the end never came. 

Reload 1

You were acutely aware of a spinning sensation. It was the hazy, paralyzing feeling just before waking. A buzz, like a VHS being clicked into place, reloading. 

The sensation of sunlight on your skin. The bird Micromon singing. 

Was this it? You were dead? 

“Y/N?” 

You opened your eyes. 

Cyborg and Zeth were peering at you, disgruntled. Behind them was Malk. 

_ Malk? _

“What…what happened?” 

Was this Malk’s masterpiece? It was identical to the spring clearing. Nothing changed at all. 

“What?” said Cyborg in her usual monotonous voice. “We were going to start without you.” 

“I’m glad you made it,” said Malk. Though there was a bit of uneasiness to him. 

He gestured to the open forest. 

“Observe. This is the area beyond Growtown…The other side of Pixekai.” 

A horrible sense of déjà vu washed over you. 

“I’ve been here, of course. Before the whole Vaithe incident.” 

Zeth and Cyborg took in the beautiful field, untouched for decades. It was deeply unsettling:

_ I’ve seen this before.  _

“There is a place I must be visiting immediately,” Malk said. “You kids explore all you like.” 

Again with that uneasiness. Malk wasn’t sure what was happening, either. 

He said farewell and walked off. Just as he did a half-hour ago. Everything was the same. 

Everything. 

You were reliving your own life. 

Were you dead? Maybe you just missed something? A daydream gone wrong? 

No. All of this has happened before. Soon Cyborg would— 

“Well?” Cyborg broke out. “What are you two waiting for?” 

Without another word, she rushed off into the clearing. She was gone in an instant — her bionic avatar gave her exceptional speed. At least, compared to you, who could barely run ten seconds without tiring. 

“You better watch out,” said Zeth, turning towards you. 

You feigned confusion, but already knew what he was going to say. 

“There’s something odd in the air here. Even Malk seems fairly nervous.” 

Yes. He said this before, but you didn’t notice then. You definitely do now. 

“It’s been a while since we reconnected the two sides of Pixekai. And yet, we haven’t seen a single person from the other side.” 

If Zeth had any feelings about it, he didn’t show. His face was as usual: eyes that resembled a frightened animal’s, and a terse, neutral frown. 

Before you could respond he vanished without another word. Same old Zeth. 

You were alone, now. Your watch suddenly felt tighter around your wrist. The time. 

9:43. 

In the field — when B003 tried to murder your friends — it was 10:12. Time had reversed. 

So the world ended in 30 minutes.

“Hey there,” said an elderly voice. That must be Rowan. The hip scientist had a pair of hi-tech headphones protecting his grey hair. 

“My name is—“ 

“—Rowan,” you finished without doubt. 

His eyebrow climbed to his widow’s peak. “Riiight. You seem to be an expert tamer, judging by your medals, yes?” 

You nodded eagerly. Well, you could’ve added that you’re a nationally recognized hero, but that would be overkill. 

“I’ve detected five rare Micromon living in the area. Been camped out here for days and still no sign of them. Could you help look for them?”

Originally you’d agreed to this. But now you shook your head. 

“There’s no time.” 

“Really? You seem like a —“ 

“No. Sorry,” you said, already leaving. You had to get to Malk’s meadow. Even if just to confirm this was a dream. 

“Wait! I’ll throw in a golden egg—“ 

You pretended not to hear him. Just an hour ago, you would have been all over the prospect of such a reward. But what good was it if the world ended? 

The meadow was the same. Already swelling with heat in the early morning, the sickly sweet smell of the grass filling the air. Instead of milling about, looking for something to do, you knew exactly where to go. 

To the north, where the canyon created an updraft and cooled it, was Lavinne. The scarred man stood idly, arms folded, red cape gently blowing in the breeze. 

He squinted, a glimmer of recognition. 

“You… you were the one who defeated Vaithe?  _ The _ Vaithe?”

And now he would be furious. Still, you said yes. 

“IMPOSSIBLEEE!!! He was mine! You had no right! I am his punisher, not you!” 

“Yeah, yeah. I know. He destroyed your hometown, right?” 

“H—how did you—“

“And now you want to go beat up Malk. Well, let’s go then. He can’t be far.” 

“I—“ Lavinne blinked. “A-Are you some sort of stalker?” 

The sounds of footsteps rushing up behind you. Zeth and Cyborg were by your side.  _ Already?  _

“Stop right there!” Cyborg shouted.

“Y/N, who is this man?” said Zeth. His eyes darted to Lavinne. “What’s your business?” 

“This is Lavinne,” you said. “We’re going to go stop Malk.” 

“H-How do you know my name?” 

“Stop Malk?” said Cyborg. “Stop him from wh—“ 

The first explosion sounded off. A white flash, in a blink, washed out your vision. Cyborg winced while everyone else struggled to stand. 

“Malk…” said Lavinne. “You are quite the deceiver… I can’t believe anyone would try to protect you…” 

“No way,” said Zeth. “Malk is—” 

“Listen, kids,” said Lavinne. “Shortly after Vaithe’s rampage, Malk gave the survivors a device. He promised we would get the energy to so desperately rebuild our lives. However… he didn’t mention that it would extract the energy from all life forms around it…” 

You remembered this. Malk was the cause of the diseases. The hostile Micromon. The fights people had, over the little energy that remained. But you never had time to process it. 

Another explosion. The ground quaked, even more this time, sending Zeth tumbling to the ground. You offered your hand and pulled him up. 

The distortion. That sickening, dizzy feeling. Were you too late? 

10:01. No. _ Still time.  _

“Not again,” Lavinne growled. “The same feeling… MALLLLLKKK!!!!” 

“What is going on?” Zeth was, for this first time in his life, panicked. That was new. 

“G-G-Guys!” said Cyborg. 

“It’s the energy levels, isn’t it?” Your heart sunk. 

“T-They’re coming from over there!” She pointed to the clearing. “Insane! They’re almost as strong as the Growtown incident…” 

Her head dropped. 

“No! They are… they are much, much greater. J-Just IMPOSSIBLE!” 

She disappeared down the path towards the clearing, Zeth right behind her. 

“Kids! No! We can’t… we can’t stop him! Not at this point!” shouted Lavinne. He turned to you. “Please… it’s not worth it.” 

You met his eyes. “There’s still time.” 

The clearing was warping and crumpling, the trees appearing to tower over Malk. He spun around, as if he were expecting you. 

“You’re all here,” he said, eyeing you specifically. “Good.” 

You were nauseated. Everything was playing out the same. It wasn’t a dream. 

“Malk! What are you doing?” 

“Malk. T-These energy signatures are lethal!” Cyborg was clenched in pain. The energy must be hurting her especially. “At this rate…” 

“Yes,” Malk said. “I know.” 

“But why?!” 

That was an answer you still didn't know. 

“Everything is according to plan,” said Malk calmly. 

“Don’t you see? T-T-The damage—it will blow up everything! We will be wiped to nothing” 

“As I said,” spoke Malk, “according to plan.” 

It was here you could watch your friends react in real time. Cyborg was taken aback, hurt; Zeth was just angry. 

“You’re insane! What is this for?!” 

“No matter,” said Malk. “I will show you my masterpiece.”

Your insides knotted at the word. 

“It’s the t-three of us against y-you, Malk!” shouted Cyborg. 

The dead pixels began to cloud your vision again.  _ No.  _ It was 10:06. Time. You still had time. 

“True that,” laughed Malk. “Good thing I have backup.” 

“Everyone step aside,” you said, clearing the spot where B003 was supposed to appear. You sent out Findoran in advance. Then B003 glitched into existence, burning red. 

The friend that helped you through your whole journey. The voice constantly at your side. His corruption hurt less, now, but was still painful. 

_ TARGETS IDENTIFIED,  _ beeped B003.  _ EXTERMINATION SEQUENCE INITIATING.  _

“Not a chance,” you said. With the force of three tsunamis, Findoran sent B003 to the ground. 

Your watch read 10:08. This was different. You’d gone through the motions quicker. 

But the world was still warping. 

“Impressive,” said Malk. “But you’re too late, kids.” 

_ No. No no no no no.  _ That wasn’t possible — you double checked the time — it just wasn’t  _ possible _ . 

The rays of light broke through the fabric of reality again. Your mouth went dry.  _ This can’t be real.  _

“Now, let me show you…” 

No. This had to stop. What had you done wrong? 

“…My masterpiece…!!” 

You watched your friends die again. 

1.0.

1.0.

1.0.

1.0.

**2.0.**

Reload 2

A low hum. That odd buzzing, as if the world were a spinning CD. The awful dreamy sensation. You wanted to wake up. You had to. 

Birdsong and a gentle breeze. 

“Y/N?”

_ No. _

“We were going to start without you.” 

Back on the bridge.  _ Not again.  _

“I’m glad…you…made it,” said Malk. It was as if he were speaking through a mouthful of molasses. He lifted his arm like it was a heavyweight.  


“Observe…This is the…area beyond…Growtown…The other side of Pixekai.” 

What was wrong with him? 

“I’ve been here, ‘course… Before…Vaithe…” 

Zeth and Cyborg gasped in awe at the beautiful field you were sure they’d seen three times now. 

“I must go. Immediately,” Malk said. He disappeared without another word. 

You didn’t understand. The first time you’d looped, you were sure it was a fluke. A dream. A mistake, of sorts. You had to mentally catch up, but now you were just frustrated. 

How could you have been too late to save everyone? You were four minutes early. Could you have been just a minute too late? Five? 

So this was it. Time was looping. Thirty minutes. You had thirty minutes.

Even frustrated, the gratitude you held was immense. This was a second chance. The world didn’t have to end all over again. 

The only solution was to try and get there even faster. 

“Well?” said Cyborg. “What are you two waiting for?” And she was gone. 

Zeth turned to you. “You better watch out. There’s something odd in the air here—” 

“Do you remember?” you cut him off. 

His forehead knotted. “Remember what?” 

“We’ve done this before??” You desperately hoped he would recall. “We’ve been here before. We’ve gone over the bridge three times now.” 

“…I’m fairly certain it’s my first time crossing.”

“You’re sure?” 

“Yes?” 

“You know anyone named Lavinne? Tall buff guy, purple mohawk, red cape?” 

“…Are you feeling okay? I would remember a guy like that.” 

So you were the only one. Cyborg was behaving exactly the same, and Malk… 

_ Malk! _

“Sorry,” you said. “I don’t… have any time to talk.” 

“Busy as ever, aren’t you?” Zeth commented as you left him down the road. 

“Hello,” said Rowan as you passed him. “My name is—“ 

“Not interested.” 

“Are you sure, young tamer? I can tell—“ 

“Nope.” 

You cut across the final stretch of meadow, fighting off the swarming wild Micromon. Your watch told you it was only 8 minutes since the loop began. _ Time. There’s still time.  _

Lavinne was resting against the canyon entrance, arms crossed. Somehow, Zeth and Cyborg were already there, arguing. 

_ What?  _ 8 minutes since the loop began.  _ But that… that isn’t right. That’s not how it goes.  _

“Malk and Vaithe can’t be forgiven…. I need to face them and… end their time in this world…” 

“You’re going to  _ kill them _ ?” said Cyborg, shaking her head. 

“What’s going on here?” you said. 

“You… you were the one who defeated Vaithe?  _ The _ Vaithe?”

“There’s no time for—“ you began to say as the first explosion sounded off. 

_ “ _ Malk…” said Lavinne. “You are quite the deceiver… I can’t believe anyone would try to protect you…” 

“Yes, yes, he’s going to end the world! Again! Unless we go fight him RIGHT NOW,” you said. 

The ground shook once more, sending Zeth tumbling over, but you reached out and caught him before he hit the ground. 

He was stunned, but you could see Cyborg calculating the energy levels in her head. With no time to lose, you ended up in the clearing.

Malk was in the center of the meadow, back turned. The world wobbled drunkenly, glitching the simulation. Trees collided with each other, and the grass popped in and out from under your feet. 

“What are you doing?!” shouted Zeth. 

“He knows what he’s doing,” you said. 

He turned. “Ah. You’re all here.” 

Last time Malk said this, he added “good.” Now, he seemed slightly disappointed. 

“Malk. T-These energy signatures are lethal!” Cyborg was clenched in pain for the third time. “At this rate…” 

“Everything will be vaporized,” you said. “And it’s all part of his plan.” 

Malk shook his head. “Tch. You can’t stop me. You know that, right? I will show you my masterpiece.” 

“I-It’s the three of us against you, Malk!” 

Malk said nothing as B003 appeared. 

_ TARGETS IDENTIFIED. EXTERMINATION SEQUENCE INITIATING.  _

“Hit him in the eye! That’s his weak spot!” you said. 

“B002?” said Zeth. 

You shook your head. “Not anymore. Take him down!” 

Your friends winced at your complete willingness to destroy the companion by your side the entire journey, but B003 fell to the ground anyway. 

The world was still glitching, frying with raw energy. You took a deep breath and checked your watch. 10 minutes since the loop began.  _ Surely you weren’t…  _

Malk grinned. “Too late, kids.” 

“No!” you said. “NO! HOW? HOW COULD I HAVE BEEN TOO LATE?” 

He simply shook his head. “Let me show you…” 

“SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!” 

“…My masterpiece…!!” 

“SHUT UUU——“ 

1.0.

1.0.

1.0.

1.0.

**2.0.**

Reload 3

Birdsong. At this point, you could recite every note. The hazy feeling. So hazy. Is this what being in a coma was like? 

A click. Like a cartridge sliding into place. Like your life was being pieced together again. 

“Y/N?” 

The breeze tousled your hair as everything loaded. And you could see the bridge again. 

“We were going to start without you.” 

“Take a good look, kids,” said Malk, gesturing to the field. You rolled your eyes when Zeth and Cyborg gaped in wonder. 

“I’m setting you free out here. You can do whatever you want. No, seriously, go nuts.” 

Before you could even begin to track him, Malk was gone in the forest.  _ Darn it _ . How did he disappear so quickly? 

Cyborg ran off, and before Zeth could start his rant, you were running, too. The scientist, Rowan, called out as you passed him, but did not stop. And through the trees and meadow. 

You knew you should be relieved. Happy, even. Everyone was still alive. Everything was still okay. 

The wind came from the canyon at points you could remember. But an unfamiliar breeze caught your attention, one that blew from the cliff. You pressed your hands against the cliff and turned. 

Another path. A shortcut. Lavinne was down the narrow rock hall, fervently searching for something — or some _ one _ . 

“Lavinne,” you explained, “Malk’s in the clearing.” 

“What the—“ he said, “How do you — wait, you’re—“

“Who cares who I am? We have to go.  _ Now _ .” 

He understood the tone of your voice and followed you into the clearing. The loop only began five minutes ago. Surely Malk wasn’t there yet. 

You were wrong. He stood in the center, firmly planted on the ground. 

“Ah. Y/N. Just in time.” He eyed Lavinne. “And who the heck are you?” 

“HOW DARE YOU!” Lavinne spat. “I am Lavinne. The avenger! And you are directly responsible for the destruction of Growtown!” 

Malk smiled and shrugged. “So what if I am? None of those people were real, man. Nothing was actually lost.” 

Lavinne made a guttural, inhuman noise and stumbled towards Malk. Malk sent out B003 in self-defense, but it was no match for your teams. 

“Hmph,” he said as B003 disappeared. “You’re still too late, kid.” 

Your mouth went dry. 

“Still?” 

Both explosions rattled at once. The shock sent you swaying. You’d made it here in six minutes. And it was  _ still _ not enough? 

“Wh-What’s happening?” said Lavinne. No one answered. 

“Now,” said Malk, raising his hands. “Let me show you… My master—“ 

“—piece, we’ve got i—“ 

The bright white of the explosion concealed everything. Your body burned away for the fourth time. 

1.0.

1.0.

1.0.

1.0.

**2.0.**

Reload 5

The faintest sensation you had of a body was being placed on the ground. The planks of the bridge that you helped build. The singing birds, the sound of a jukebox shuffling another record. 

You knew the shortcut. You knew exactly where to go. You could visualize it perfectly, the path to the clearing. Now you would not be too late. 

“Ah, good. We were going to start without you.” 

Zeth and Cyborg were on the bridge with you, as always. But mysteriously, Malk had vanished. 

“Let’s go, then,” you said, sprinting away from your friends, across the bridge, past Rowan, to the cliff beyond Growtown. You were running as fast as you could, now, to the cliff, through the canyon, past Lavinne, past the wild monsters. Finally you took another turn and there was the clearing, where Malk was waiting. 

“Wow,” he said. “That was fast.” 

“You can forget sending out B003,” you said sharply.

“I didn’t need him, anyway.” Malk, not seeing your confusion, turned to the trees. 

“For one, I don’t need him to fight off a single tamer. Even if you are the best in the world,” he shrugged. “And two, you’re already too late.” 

The explosions rattled the clearing. The world began warping, and Malk’s grin appeared through the glassy distortion. 

But it was only 9:46. The loop began only three minutes ago. 

“I don’t understand,” you croak. “I can’t believe it.” 

“Believe it,” said Malk, as the world evaporated into a blank canvas. 

1.0.

1.0.

1.0.

1.0.

**2.0.**

Reload 7

The loops were changing. 

You realized this, now. The loops changed every time and in every way. Some things — the wind, the voices, the alley — stayed the same. But no matter how hard you tried, or how fast you got there, you couldn’t stop Malk. It was always too late. 

Whenever you got there, the world ended. If you did nothing, it would end in thirty minutes. 

Being quick wasn’t enough. And now you had a half hour, another fresh start. 

Malk didn’t appear on the bridge with you anymore. He was the  _ other _ unpredictable part of the loops. Did he remember? Did he know? 

Before Cyborg could take off, you held out your arm. “Wait.” 

Cyborg stood still, bewildered. “What are we waiting for? This is the first time anyone’s seen this side of Pixekai in years!” 

_ Not the first.  _ “I need to tell you something.” 

“Okay,” said Zeth awkwardly. 

“This is going to sound insane, but…” 

“More insane than a digital simulation filled with elemental monsters?” 

“Just listen. Malk has been using us this whole time. He’s going to harness enough energy to delete Pixekai.” 

“Oh.” 

“And he has. Multiple times.” Great. Now they were looking at you like you really  _ were _ insane. “But — but it’s never permanent. He destroys it over and over. It’s a timeloop. Y-You guys never remember. But I do.” 

“…Oh,” said Zeth, exchanging looks with Cyborg. “That’s…” 

“…Fascinating,” Cyborg finished. 

Your face burned. Maybe it didn’t come out the way you wanted, but what else could you say? “You have to believe me.” 

“Of course,” said Cyborg, nodding in understanding. “I believe you believe it.” 

“Is this some kind of joke? Did entering the mainframe screw with your head?” said Zeth.

“ _ Zeth _ ,” Cyborg hissed. 

It was no use. Who was going to listen to something that started off with “This is going to sound insane, but,” anyway? 

“Sorry I spoke,” you said with a bite of remorse. 

What did it matter? They would watch Malk’s betrayal in less than a half hour. They would know you were right, and know it was too late. 

Reload 10

Electricity. A volt, a power outlet being plugged in. In an instant, the world, vaporized mere seconds ago, came alive with forest and grass and birdsong. 

The bridge smelled of fresh sawdust and Mineralia lumber. Of course, you’d helped gather the materials for Woodpecker to build it. 

Before Zeth or Cyborg noticed you, you took a deep breath. Quiet on your feet, you turned and stepped  _ backwards _ . 

Into Growtown. The new town, anyway. Unlike the meadow, this place was teeming with people, construction,  _ progress _ . 

You were somehow able to pull the ruins of Growtown’s original houses from the mainframe. They were being tended to, decades gone by as they were lovingly scrubbed of ash and rust. 

Woodpecker’s familiar face greeted you at the end of the bridge. 

“Back already?” 

You smiled faintly. “Just wanted to say thanks for making the bridge.” 

“No need to thank me!” Woodpecker waved, hammer in hand. “We owe you way more than this!” 

He wished you good luck. Now it was all coming back to you. Memories beyond Malk’s madness and the strange feeling of leaving your body. You were a hero to these people. 

All around you, friends and allies greeted you with delight. There was Moonborn’s husband, Aera’s chief. Pale Captain Aaron, the fanatic of Black Root. The Forge Master of Magma. 

You talked to each one, taking their advice and joking with them, telling stories with them. You learned from Captain Anders that the survivors were informed that their hometown was being rebuilt. They got emotional and started crying. People from all over Pixekai were offering their help to rebuild. 

This new Growtown was more than a tribute — it was a revival. You were even starting to consider moving there, to finally have a home base in Pixekai. But then you remembered you had to do something very, very important first. 

_ Break the loop. Stop Malk.  _

As much as you didn’t want to think about Malk in these serene thirty minutes, a newly posted sign caught your eye. No. Not just a sign. A memorial. 

_In loving memory of Growtown and its people,_ the sign read. 

You closed your eyes as Malk’s words echoed in your head. 

_ “None of those people were real, man. Nothing was actually lost.” _

How could he say such a thing? Lavinne’s family was vaporized to dust. Cyborg couldn’t speak for years. 

Didn’t Malk know he was digital? Weren’t these his people? 

You tried to keep the questions out of your head and focused on a wind turbine. It was almost definitely imported from Aera, and was slowly churning in the early morning heat. You remained transfixed on it for a while, the calming effect washed over you. 

And then, the explosion. 

Somehow, even through the panic, you couldn’t look away from the turbine. As reality started to bend and warp, a single songbird glided into the blades and disappeared. 

“I-I-It’s happening all over again,” said one woman. You recognized her from the construction meeting. She was one of the original survivors. 

Your heart pounded in your chest. “W-What’s happening, miss?” 

“It’s all the same,” she wailed. “G-Growtown is… being destroyed again!” 

You heard her sob  _ no, no, no, no _ as the white light spread from the other side of Pixekai, through the fresh town, and then there was nothing. 

Reload 18

The buzz and the click. The birds singing, like the one destroyed in the turbine. With any logic, the same thing would happen again, the bird meeting its fate who-knows-how-many times. 

Malk was still not on the bridge. Absent. Somehow, you doubted he’d be returning anytime soon. 

But Zeth and Cyborg were there. And now you had what you need. 

“Hold it,” you said, spreading your arm. Cyborg stopped in her tracks. 

“What are we waiting for? This is the first time anyone’s seen this side of Pixekai in years!” 

So it was going to be the same. Good. 

“I need to tell you something, and you’re not going to believe me. It’s going to sound insane.” 

“More insane than a digital—” 

“—simulation filled with elemental monsters?” you finished. Cyborg’s stepped back in surprise.  _ That _ got her attention. 

“Malk — yes,  _ Malk _ — has been using us this entire time. He’s going to harness enough energy to delete Pixekai.” 

Your friends waited in silence for you to go on. 

“And he has. A few times now, I’ve kinda lost track.” Zeth glared at you in suspicion. “It’s a timeloop. You guys don’t remember anything.” 

“But… _ you _ do, somehow?” 

You nodded. But, why did  _ you _ remember, and not them? There was nothing remarkable about you other than your rank — which Cyborg and Zeth held, too. 

“That’s… hard to believe,” said Cyborg. 

Zeth shook his head. “Is this some kind of joke? Did—“ 

“—entering the mainframe screw with my head?” you cut him off. “Maybe. But I do remember you saying that before. And you, Cyborg. And I bet you’ll say the same things the next loop. And the next.” 

Complete silence. 

“…How can we help?” said Zeth. 

You were overwhelmed with relief. You didn’t have to struggle alone, anymore. 

“Well, stopping Malk by himself doesn’t work. We have to break the loop some other way.” 

“Break it, huh…” said Cyborg. “I-I’ve lived in Pixekai a long time. It doesn’t go on forever, you know.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“The boundary,” said Cyborg, looking between you and Zeth. 

“I’m sorry,” broke Zeth. “This is really hard to believe. And I’ve never heard of a  _ boundary _ .” 

“Where is this boundary?” you asked. 

“I-I’m not sure,” Cyborg admitted. “I know it’s east of here. We can try…breaking it.” 

“What?” snapped Zeth. 

Cyborg met your eyes. 

“We have to break the boundary.” 

Begrudgingly, Cyborg and you dragged Zeth along east of the meadow. The grove fell further into wilderness as you left it, with the neatly lined apple trees turning into mangled pines. You had no idea where you were going, but Cyborg led the way. 

The birdsong and gentle air of the meadow was not here. Instead there was tangled undergrowth like snares, and the howling of unfamiliar Micromon. The path was jagged, hard to keep track of, and thin against the wild grass. One step and suddenly it was gone. 

Occasionally you stop as Cyborg recalibrated her internal compass. You didn’t know how much time was left, but you couldn’t bring it up to them. Zeth and Cyborg, as it were, completely unaware of the thirty-minute loop. 

_ Let’s keep it that way. _

“Wh-What is  _ that _ ?” said a panicked Zeth. You followed his pointed finger to what looked like a waterfall. 

No. Not a waterfall. It was a shimmer, a warp in the fabric of reality. It spun erratically, moving and glitching, faintly hissing. You looked aside to see it stretch forever, signifying some sort of  _ wall _ . 

“This is it,” Cyborg breathed. “This is the end of Pixekai.” 

“How do we break it?” you whispered. 

Her eyes darted from the top, which stretched up infinitely, to the ground. “We have to go  _ through _ it.” 

“What?” Zeth’s voice cracked. “That’s—no. That’s insane.” 

“That’s how we break it,” said Cyborg matter-of-factly. 

“A-And no one’s done this before?” Zeth looked like he was about to cry. “What’ll happen?” 

“Only one way to find out.” 

She took a deep breath and walked to the edge. The insects and boundary hissed in tandem. 

“Let’s go through,” you said. “Together.” 

“Are you guys insane?” 

“Just grab my hand, Zeth,” said Cyborg, who extended her hand to you, too. 

A boom on the horizon. The first explosion. 

“We have to go. NOW,” you said. 

Clutching Cyborg’s hand, you began to count. 

“One.” 

A step forward. 

“Two.” 

The second explosion sounded off, crumbling the fabric of reality. Your friends stumbled a bit, but you held onto them, steady. 

“THREE!” 

The white light spread from the clearing. As long as you could hold on, before it was too late, you stepped into the wall.

The burning, the melting, the  _ boiling _ feeling was too much to bear. You felt the vaguest sensation of escape before you blacked out and saw the update screen again. 

Reload 29 

_ FINE _ . 

Maybe you were out of ideas. There was no way out. But the brief moment your body, life and very essence awoke from the meaningless, buzzing place, you thought of something else. 

_ Rowan.  _

Rowan, the scientist who absolutely had no relation to your other scientist friend, Rowen, had offered you a deal. A trade. A freaking  _ sidequest _ . 

He wanted five rare Micromon living in the area. That couldn’t be  _ too _ bad, right? You already had a complete database apart from these five. 

The pieces of your thoughts fell together.  _ Yeah,  _ if you had a complete database, maybe that would… unlock it. An arbitrary cosmic requirement. Unlock the loop. Break it. 

“Hey, you!” he called out, unaware that his exact voice was ingrained into your memory. 

“Yes?” you answered.  _ Not suspicious at all.  _

“You seem to be an expert tamer just by looking at your medals!”

“Actually, I’m the S-rank tamer who took down Vaithe and Black Root,” you said. Really, did it matter if you bragged a little? 

“Perfect, then, you’re the right tamer for the job,” he said. He continued to explain the Micromon he’d been researching. You barely registered their names, but knew what he was talking about.

Apparently these rare cases were mutated by Growtown’s energy levels. You weren’t listening too hard; you just knew they were rare, and you had to find them. 

Luckily, you’d already caught glimpses of them through past loops. They appeared to be fourth evolutions of the starters — one looked like a sleeker, larger version of Findoran decorated with jewels. 

On the trail, the mineral Micromon, a tortoise with a hard amethyst shell, lived in a hole. Quartoise, you think it was called. Its beady eyes judged you from its den. You were interrupting a long sleep. 

“Wakey, wakey,” you grinned, which only caused the turtle to shrink further into the hole.  _ Maybe next time don’t be so creepy,  _ you almost heard it say. 

“Okay, Findoran,” you said to your Micromon. “You’re going to have to flush this one out.” 

Your partner Micromon understood and trudged up to the hole, conjuring a wave of water that it punched through the ground, sending the tortoise flying into the air like a geyser. With it weakened from the landing, you easily crammed it into a capture chip. 

Easy? Yes. Ethical? Maybe not. But with this method of hunting, you were able to wrangle the remaining Micromon. Finally, you gazed upon your database. 

Complete. Every Micromon caught. You never cared much for the database, but in this moment, there was nothing more satisfying. 

“Back already?” said Rowan. He was quickly cut off as you threw down the capture chips. 

“There they are,” you grinned.  _ With only 20 minutes to spare. _

“This is… remarkable,” he said, examining the data of each chip. “I’d expect nothing less from the tamer who beat Vaithe.” 

You beamed as he handed over the reward. The golden egg glistened in your hands. The ultimate prize.

Enamored with the reward, you almost didn’t notice the earth shake beneath your feet. Rowan yelped in terror, covering his head with his laptop. You thanked him and rushed to the clearing. 

Zeth, Cyborg, and Lavinne were at the rock arch, still arguing. Without a word, you shoved them aside. 

“What the—“ stammered Cyborg. “Y/N _? _ What gives?” You ignored her. 

You approached Malk alone. He turned to you, completely silent. 

For a moment you waited for each other to speak. The second explosion sounded, startling the birds, who hopelessly tried to fly in the wavering air. 

B003 appeared, not needing further command. It enacted its extermination sequence, but Findoran’s brutal force tore the steel to pieces. 

As the world wobbled even more, the silence grew worse. Finally you broke it and said, “I’m going to win this time, Malk.” 

He smiled and shook his head. He pointed to his lips. And then Malk began to mouth words. 

_ Let.  _

No. 

_ Let me show you. _

A crack struck from your bag. You dug through it — the golden egg. Carefully, gently, you placed the egg on the ground. As the light grew all around you, it broke open. 

_ My masterpiece.  _

Before the egg hatched, the ground split into pieces, and you whited out. 

Reload 42 

The bridge and the birds and the humming and the haziness and you couldn’t think you couldn’t breathe and just how long has it been? 

“Y/N.” Cyborg’s voice. “We were going to start without you.” 

You stopped Zeth and managed to convince both of them about the time loop. You barely remembered what you said; it couldn’t have been any different from the last twenty loops or so. Just going through the motions. 

Then your friends began to offer ideas. “How about crossing the boundary?” 

“Nope. Tried that.” 

“Completed your database?” 

“Done it.” 

“How about—“

“Nope. Doesn’t work.” 

This continued on until you grew bored and listed off everything you’d already done. Cyborg, deep in thought, offered a slightly risky idea. 

She would hack the storage boxes, which would allow her access to the entire simulation, and try to block Malk’s energy levels from corrupting Pixekai any further. You agreed, having no clue if or how that would work. 

The three of you traveled back to Growtown together, with you completely silent. What was the point of talking if they would never remember? 

The storage machine was in one of the salvaged houses, covered in dust and cables strewn across the floor. It didn’t have lights yet, so the room was illuminated by the tiny windows. Cyborg dug around in her pockets and took out a flash drive. 

“This should only take a moment.” Zeth looked unnerved. “What? Did you expect me to stick my entire arm in or something?” 

“No!” he answered, burning up, “Of course not.” 

“Good.” The console gave a pleasant chirp. “ _ I’m in _ . Ooo, I’ve always wanted to say that.” 

Cyborg began to type away at the machine. You didn’t know what she was doing, but it looked complex. Then the walls shook and you knew that the first explosion was here. 

“Steady,” you said. “Everyone stay calm.” Cyborg had stopped typing and was looking toward the ceiling, lined with cracks. 

“Don’t tell me to stay calm,” she said, glancing towards the falling bits of paint. “This is it, isn’t it? The end of the loop.” 

You took a hard swallow and nodded. 

“I’ll have to work faster, then,” she said, turning back to the machine. Suddenly her face fell in pure horror. 

“What?” said Zeth. “What is it?!” 

“These energy levels…” she stepped away from the machine. “I c-can’t do this. These are i-impossible.”

“Come again?” you said, heart sinking. 

“We’re doomed!” Malk’s blinding light blasted through the window, enveloping the room. “DOOMED!” 

Zeth’s panicked response was the only sound left before you were vaporized. 

Reload 60

You were waking. Slowly. Not from a dream. A nightmare. 

The birds. The  _ birds _ ! Your blood boiled as they sung, and then whistling grass, all in the beautiful cadence of the meadow. 

“Y/N,” said Cyborg. “We were going to start withou—“ 

“AAAAH!” you suddenly broke out. “I don’t want to do this anymore. I don’t want to be here. I want to go home.” 

“…What?” 

“I’m getting out,” you said. “No more. No MORE LOOPS. No more Malk. I can’t TAKE IT ANYMORE.” 

“Malk??” said Zeth. “What did Malk do?” 

You began to laugh. A wild, shrieking laugh you didn’t know you could make. 

“Malk,” you howled, “MALK! He blows up the world and everyone dies.” 

“Y/N?! What on Earth are you talking about? Are you okay?” 

“NO!” you said, suddenly stepping backwards, pointing to them. The heat of the bridge simmered under your feet. “No. Get away from me!” 

You ran into Growtown, looking around wildly, catching brief glimpses of the residents’ confused faces. Everything was quick and blurred.

“Y/N! Get back here!” Cyborg and Zeth were chasing after you. They didn’t understand. They would never understand. 

Something shiny caught the corner of your eye. A wooden handle, tall with a blunt steel end. A shovel. You picked it up and it felt like holding a shovel. 

“Wh-Whoa, Y/N, put that down, put that down!” Cyborg yelled. 

“I’m going to break free!” you yelled, plunging the shovel into the ground. Maybe, just maybe, if you dug deep enough you would come out in the real world.  _ HOME. _

You dug until the shovel snapped in half, and then you used your hands to scoop out the soil until they were bloody. Vaguely aware of people yelling, trying to pull you away. Bitter you couldn’t hear them. Your eyes were transfixed on the ground, which was beginning to fill with mud. 

“Y/N!” someone was screaming. “Y/N!” They were grabbing your torso, lifting you from the hole. Hands covered in mud. 

“It’s no use,” you broke down. The ground rose with remorse. 

Reload 76

Lavinne leaned against the cool, bare stone of the canyon. After a few dozen loops, you’d learned how to calm his temper and engage in reasonable conversation. 

“But why?” Lavinne’s eyes were downcast. “Why would Malk want to  _ destroy _ the world? Doesn’t he know he’ll die?” 

“I don’t know,” you said. 

“I don’t know, either,” said Lavinne. 

Reload 110

It was no use. 

The memories of the previous loop washed between your eyes. It was all such a blur. 

You beat Malk an infinite number of times. You’ve tried destroying the loop from the inside out. Trained, bargained, talked. Nothing worked. 

It was time to give up. 

East of the bridge and canyon was the most generous part of the meadow. The fallen branches turned upwards on a gentle slope, a small hill overlooking the forest. 

At the hill’s peak was an apple tree, a gnarled old thing, untouched by humans for years. Its shade blanketed the grass from the digital sun. The apples were unnaturally large and red, almost certainly due to radioactive fallout. 

You sat on the hill. Findoran, your trusted water Micromon, sat by your side, enjoying the feast of apples. 

“Do you remember, buddy?” you asked Findoran. Its eyes lit up at your voice. “You remember all the times we’ve been here? How many apples you’ve eaten?” 

But Findoran couldn’t talk. It slowly blinked at you, pausing to take another bite. 

You would never know if it remembered. You wished it did. 

Leaning back and lying on your stomach, you watched the morning clouds drift over the meadow. In the distance was Malk’s clearing. In a few minutes the end would begin there. But you paid no mind to the time. 

How wild was it that an artificial world would end here, a place so resembling and replicant of nature? 

You sunk into the grass and closed your eyes. It smelled of the wilderness, the soil, fresh air. So natural. 

You could die here, you think. 

Reload 290 

The turquoise screen mocked you. 2.0, it read. But has anything even changed? 

Red. A body you could try to manifest. It took every fiber of your being to try and touch the screen. No — it was just a hallucination. You had no body. 

A pull, like you were sinking. That was the loop, bringing you back again. You fell back onto the bridge, the bridge with the birds singing the same song over and over. 

Reload 295

Without much thought, you’d convinced your impatient friends to join you on the hill. 

“Let’s have a picnic,” you suggested. With some prodding, they’d agreed, and you’d spread out a checkered blanket, lining it with a traditional picnic basket and sweet apples. 

As you and Cyborg set up, Zeth seemed confused, slightly panicked. Like he couldn’t comprehend what was happening. 

“What’s wrong?” you’d asked. 

“It’s just — I’ve never done this before.” 

“You’ve never had a  _ picnic _ ?” asked Cyborg, surprised. 

“W-Well… there was no reason to. Black Root headquarters are in the middle of a wasteland. You can’t exactly go outside.” 

“Forget about Black Root,” said Cyborg, laying down more utensils. “We can rebuild Growtown now. Together.” 

You bit your tongue. Maybe that wasn’t the best thing to say to a former Black Root member, especially Zeth. But then you remember this loop will be over soon, and that whatever was said will be wiped clean. 

The blanket was lined with apples, forks, knives. You sliced each meticulously, sharing them with Cyborg and Zeth, who agreed that they’d never tasted anything sweeter. 

“Hey, look at this,” said Zeth, looking over his shoulder. “Mud patch.” 

There WAS a mud patch there. In a move that was totally unlike Zeth, he grabbed a nearby branch and began to  _ draw _ . You’d never seen Zeth be creative before. You didn’t know he had the capacity to at all. 

“What is it?” you said, leaning over him. It was an angry, one-eyed blob. 

He broke out in a snicker. “ _ Cyborg _ ,” he cracked. 

“HEY!” she said, peering over and scanning the mud. “That doesn’t LOOK LIKE ME?” 

“Sorry,” he stammered, and began to wipe it out.

“What! No! Don’t apologize! It really does like her,” you laughed. “Look at that frown. Definitely Cyborg.” 

Zeth had a faint smile. “Totally.” 

“Am I going to have to throw you off the hill, Zeth?” 

“What? Did you—“ 

She shoved him over, and he launched, tumbling down the grass and the cliff. He slowly rolled to a halt, and you looked at Cyborg with disbelief. 

“W-Why’d you do that?” 

He was shaking. Sobbing? He was making pitiful, breathy noises that you’d never heard before. And then you realized he was  _ laughing _ . 

Cyborg snorted. “Look. He’s fine.” She suddenly turned towards you. “Goodbye.” 

“What—“ 

She shoved you, and you tipped over, unable to regain your balance. You rolled and twisted, spinning between the grass and the blue sky, before coming to rest at the bottom next to Zeth. 

You were laughing so hard it was tough to catch your breath. Cyborg rolled up next to the both of you and you laughed together. 

_ Don’t tell them.  _

A dark cloud passed over the neon grass. 

You couldn’t tell them. You didn’t want to tell them. Not again. It was so tiring, so depressing, so… not worth it. 

“Was Zeth a Rockdillo in his past life?” Cyborg snickered, lying on her back. “He tumbles so easily.” 

“S-Shut up,” said Zeth. “Were you a, uh… fire Micromon? Because you’re an…oxygen thief.” 

“I don’t get it,” said Cyborg. 

“You get what I mean! Waste of oxygen!” 

The ground suddenly rose and wavered, as if it were splitting. The explosion. 

“What was that?!” said Zeth, rising to his feet. “What’s going on?!” 

_ I just want a bit more time. Please, just a bit more time.  _

“Nothing,” you said, confident. “I swear.” 

“But…” said Cyborg, “These energy levels —“ 

“They’re completely normal,” you said. “No worries here.” 

Another explosion kicked off, sending the brightness from the clearing. 

“Y/N?!” trembled Zeth, “W-We need to know what’s going on.” 

“Nothing,” you said just before he disappeared, “It’s nothing at all.” 

Reload 401 

You knew everything about the meadow, now. From the wild Micromon to the birdsong to every breeze that would blow and each minute they would pass. 

Bored of picnics, now you simply took walks. The way around the trees, the moment the wind picked up — it brought you so much comfort. Each new detail you discovered filled you with wonder. This was a terrarium you could not change. 

A bit of gold buried beneath a rock. A sign that used to say something, but now had every word bleached away. The trees bore apples, and you tasted each one, reveling in their sweetness, finding seeds in some and none in the others. 

It was quiet. So calm before the world began to explode. It was all very…. peaceful. 

So peaceful. 

Reload 505 

Your consciousness returned to your body with its eyes closed. You hummed along with the static and click. 

“Y/N,” Cyborg said. “We were going to start without you.” 

You just wanted to talk to someone. Even if they wouldn’t remember. Even if it wouldn’t help. 

“Can I speak to you?” you asked. “In private.” 

She followed you to the hill, amazed that you already knew your way around this unfamiliar place. Under the shade of the peaceful white apple tree, you instructed her to sit. 

From there you informed her of the timeloop. It was an easy task, at this point. How it worked. How you were powerless to stop it. 

“There’s really nothing you can do?” 

You shook your head. 

“Wow. I can’t believe it.  _ Malk _ ? And…this has been going on for  _ how long? _ ” 

You took a deep sigh. The wind rustled the shade of the tree, creating perfect square beams of light. Honestly, you’d lost track awhile ago, but you gave her your best guess. 

“That’s…” she trailed off. She was staring at you, analyzing your expression. “It’s bothering you isn’t it? I mean, of course it is, but you’re not… okay, are you. It’s weighing on you.” 

Maybe that was true. Life before the loop seemed so far away. You picked up a nearby branch and began to draw in the mud. 

“It really reminds me—“ she bit her lip. 

“What?” you said. “What is it?” 

“Nothing.” 

You explained to her again that nothing in this loop mattered and she wouldn’t remember, in the end. 

“I know, but… you’ll remember, won’t you?” 

You slowly nodded. 

“Then I suppose it’s worth saying,” Cyborg said, “When I survived the Growtown incident, well— I was hurt pretty badly. Messed up, I mean. I couldn’t speak for years.” 

Years. That was right. Growtown was destroyed decades ago. “But you look so young.” 

“Oh. I thought you would know this. Time passes differently here, see? I learned this back when I found Pixekai. Back home, my parents are professional tamers.” Home. She meant the real world. 

“They were always busy, and, well… I found this bunker. And I didn’t have to be alone for as long as I stayed here.” 

You couldn’t relate. You only found Pixekai by accident, through a mysterious phone app. And just how long has Cyborg been here, you wondered? Fifty years? 

“I guess I’ll have to leave soon, anyway.” 

Leave. “You mean the end of the world?” 

She nodded. 

“I don’t…” You’d never thought about it. “I don’t know what’ll happen to organics like us,” you admitted. 

“But Zeth… everyone else…” 

Your heart sunk to your grave. Digitals were simulated like the rest of Pixekai. If they were deleted, that would be…

“Certain death,” you whispered. 

Cyborg looked up in surprise. 

“I didn’t think you’d have the nerve to say it.” 

“I’ve watched the world end five hundred times now.” You swirled the stick through the mud. “It doesn’t mean much, anymore.” 

“Anyway… Zeth. After the incident, I… tracked him so mercilessly. And the rest of Black Root. I wanted to make them pay for what they did.”

Cyborg and Zeth hunted each other for long, with such total loathing, it was a miracle that they were even speaking to each other. 

“I guess I want to say… I gave up on it because it wasn’t worth it. My anger was reasonable, yes, but Zeth was just a kid. A piece of a larger structure. Black Root was stopped at its source, thanks to you.” 

But Black Root didn’t cause Growtown. Neither did Vaithe. 

“Malk,” you said suddenly. “Malk is the one responsible for Growtown’s destruction.” 

She stared at you expectantly, hoping for some kind of punchline or retraction. But you’d said it with such temper and certainty that she knew it to be true. 

“My work isn’t over, then.” The sky seemed bluer, now, when the morning clouds parted over the meadow. “I trust you to finish it.” 

You stared at the ground, where you’d drawn a spiral with a stick in the mud. No matter how many times you etched it, it always returned fresh, untouched. 

Reload 779

In the clearing. Back turned. Alone. 

Malk began laughing to himself as you approached, stumbling across the grass, barely conscious of your actions, following a script you knew by heart. 

The all-too-familiar birdsong swelling again. The first sign of world’s end was fleeting. A bubble, like the heat gathered in melted paint, creasing and folding the fabric of the universe. 

“Malk,” you said, gritting your teeth. “Give it up. It’s over.” 

Malk still laughed. And laughed. 

“You want to know something, Y/N?” 

He turned back again, looking to the sky. 

“Do you remember when you first came to Pixekai? The day I invited you to my lab.” 

He chuckled, as if getting to a punchline. 

“You should’ve seen the look on your face… when you thought you couldn’t leave. That you were trapped in Pixekai forever. The relief when I told you… Ha. Haha.” 

His face suddenly fell into uncharacteristic anger. 

“SOME of us won’t leave. We can never leave. Our lives aren’t real. We’re as part of the simulation as the rocks and trees.” 

“And… you have a problem with that?” 

He laughed even harder, a wheezing, breathy laugh. 

“My goals are too big for you to understand. But yes, I do… have a  _ problem _ with that. And I have tried enacting my plan seven hundred-something times now.” 

So that was it. He knew. 

“You’re aware. That this is a… a time loop.” 

“Am I aware?” His voice distorted with the world. “Oh man, am I  _ aware _ ? Are you?” 

“You can stop it?” Your throat was hoarse. 

“You don’t know?” His face was normal again, light-hearted, grinning. “You actually don’t know.” 

You shook your head as the ground began its low rumble. 

“I have been asking  _ why _ since the first loop. My equipment, my methods, the sequence of events. I’ve ruled out every possible cause, every variable, every tiny detail. No. It was never my fault. It was you. YOU are the problem!” 

The birdsong grew louder and louder as the world tilted into oblivion, dizzying every living creature. But you were used to it by now. 

“This is your doing. YOU are keeping us here, preventing us from moving on.” 

“No. That’s not—“ 

“Don’t play dumb. I know exactly what you’re doing.” 

The first explosion caught you off guard, sending you to the ground. 

“You’re reloading the game, buddy. Stop. It.” 

The second explosion sounded, indicating that you had mere minutes left. 

“No,” you rasped. “That’s—“ 

“Consciously or not, YOU were the only variable present, kiddo. Every time. You need to save and quit.” 

“I—“ 

The world began to twist beyond recognition. One thing still stood clearly in the darkness. Malk’s face. His smug, victorious face. It told you to give up. He had won. 

“Malk,” was the only word that you could manage to produce. “MAAAAALK!” 

His grin dropped as you charged ahead. With the full force of your might, you tackled him, slamming him into the ground. The shattering of his glasses was a pleasant sound. He choked in surprise as you raised your fist, posed to meet his face. 

And then came the light. The brightest, blinding light. 

_ No!  _ Your arm disappeared.  _ Malk. MALK!  _

1.0.

1.0.

1.0.

1.0.

**2.0.**

Reload 780

Back on the bridge. But, unlike the last few hundred loops,  _ he _ was there. 

“YOU!” 

You leapt towards Malk, fully prepared to tackle him again, but Zeth and Cyborg held you back. 

“Y/N?! What’s gotten into you??” 

Your ears were ringing. They wouldn’t know, they would never understand. They were outsiders to the weeks you’ve been trapped, the things you’ve experienced. 

“LET ME GO!” you screamed. “LET ME GO!” 

Malk shook his head at you. “Consider what I’ve told you. I can’t choose if this will end.” 

With a quick turn he was gone, white lab coat sailing behind him, knowing that in another 30 minutes his devices would end the world again. 

“What just happened, Y/N?” Cyborg’s face, despite being half-mechanical, was tense. “You were just fine a minute ago.” 

You buried your face in your hands. 

Reload 807

After Cyborg ran off, Zeth turned to you. Even with no information, he understood the danger of the meadow.

“There’s something odd in the air here. Even Malk seems fairly nervous.” 

“You’re right, Zeth. And I know what’s going on.” 

That took him by surprise. You led him up, to the hill, and sat him down under the white apple tree. 

After patiently trying to explain the loop to him, still he said, “No. That’s insane.” 

“Really?” What you said had worked in the past. 

“If I really don’t remember the past few weeks, tell me something you’re not supposed to know.” His whole body was rigid, tense. He was close to believing it, but not there yet. 

“Fine.” You avoided his gaze in anticipation for what you would say. The mud patch was by his side, so you took a branch and focused on drawing in it. 

“I know your favorite color. Green.” 

“A lucky guess,” he said, unsure. 

“You bribed your way into becoming an S-rank tamer.” 

His face burned up. “H-How did you—“ 

“And your mother used to call you her—“ you snorted, “—Her little Zephyr.” 

“SHUT UP!” he said, rising to his feet. “D-Don’t speak to me about my mother!” 

_ Oh.  _ That was a bad idea. “Well, you believe me now?” 

“I suppose,” he huffed, sitting back down. The two of you perched on the hill in silence. 

“Sorry,” you finally said, “for bringing up Leah. I know it must be hard to deal with her…” your throat was dry. You wanted to say  _ death _ , but somehow, here, after so many loops, you couldn’t bring yourself to. 

Zeth shook his head. “She’s not dead. The term is  _ deleted _ .” 

“I don’t…” your voice faltered. “I don’t know the difference.” 

“You organics bury your dead hopefully. You have your Netherworld, your afterlife. But us?” In the tree above, a bird Micromon began to sing. He was completely still. “We’re made of code. When we are gone, there is  _ nothing _ .” 

“I’m sorry,” was all you could say. 

“Don’t be.” 

He stared at your mud drawing. It was a criss-cross shape, like the grid of a vent. You wanted to apologize more, somehow, because you were the only one there as she was deleted, you watched as she faded away. But the time had passed for that. 

“So. A time loop, huh?” 

“Yeah.” 

“And you’ve been in it for…” 

“Weeks,” you finished. 

“Hmph.” He was glaring at the tangled grove. “And it’s all supposed to be Malk’s fault. We’re talking about  _ Malk _ Malk, here?  _ Professor _ Malk?” 

“Yeah.” 

“The other Black Root members always liked to rant about him. Now I understand why.” 

The grass rustled faintly in the breeze. 

“Y’know, if anyone killed me, I would have expected it to be Cyborg. Not that pushover. Cyborg was one step ahead. Even limping and outnumbered, she always managed to outsmart us.” He gave a faint chuckle. “But Malk has killed me… how many times?” 

You shook your head. “You don’t want to know.” 

“Sounds like he’s one step ahead of you, too.” He met your eyes. “Don’t let him outsmart you any further, Y/N.”

“What… you want me to keep the loop going forever?” 

“No. I mean the opposite. You have to break the loop, Y/N.” 

Zeth had never been like this. “Why the sudden determination?” you asked. 

“Because I can see what it’s doing to you and you won’t be able to go on much further. Not in the state you’re in. It’ll do the same to you what it did to me.” 

Then he took your hand and shook it. “You’ll break the loop, won’t you?”

“What? I-“ 

“You will. Right?” 

You slowly nodded. The clouds passed over your head. 

“And I’ll be glad for you. Even though - even though I won’t remember.” 

He took a moment to breathe. All this information must be so overwhelming. 

“How much time do we have?” 

You could barely look down at your watch. You had waking nightmares about it stopping forever. “Five minutes.” 

“Well, for what’s it’s worth, I —“ Zeth choked up. “I really enjoyed being your rival.” 

The explosions began, and he turned towards the sun breaking over the clearing. “I did, too,” was all you could say.

Reload 810

The dizzying sensation returned. It was the buzzing, paralyzing feeling that you now knew you controlled. You put yourself back in time, reloading. 

Malk laughed as you entered the clearing. Laughed and laughed like nothing was funnier. 

“So, you’ve finally come to move on. Give a rest. You know what they say.” 

Sick. That was what you felt. Your vision blurred and stomach twisted. “No. I don’t.” 

“In any case, I’m glad you finally came to your senses. The show must go on.” 

He raised his arms towards the sky. “Action!” 

The first explosion arrived on cue, distorting the meadow as if it were the bottom of a swimming pool. 

“Thanks for this, honestly,” he said. “You’ve been interrupting my plans for quite some time now. Unless you’re faking me out — you’re not, are you?” 

You shook your head. “No, Malk. I’m done.” 

_ Break the loop,  _ Zeth had said.  _ Break it no matter what.  _

_ I’m respecting your wishes,  _ you thought as the nausea crept in. 

“Well, this has been interesting, if not time-consuming.” He turned back, as if it were business as usual to end the world. 

“Malk,” you said suddenly. A lump had formed in your throat and was threatening to spill tears if you didn’t get it out. “My friends… will they be okay? Will they live on, somehow?” 

He stared blankly. “What do you want me to say?” 

Maybe this lie was better than the truth. “I - I don’t know.”

“Well…” he scratched his five o’clock shadow. He really didn’t want you to reload again, did he? “Uh…if it comforts you, yes. They will live on… by dying for my vision. My grand new world.” 

In that moment something new was rising in your thoughts. Hatred. His grand new world. 

Maybe, in Malk’s world, someone would stop his vision there. But it wasn’t in your hands anymore. 

The birds were all singing together, now. They rose in tandem with the wobbling, the distortion, until Malk rose his hands and called out, “Let me show you my masterpiece!” 

And as he called out, you could’ve sworn you saw something in his arms. Muddy hands. A VHS tape in one, a branch in the other. 

The simulation collapsed on itself as the white light overtook Malk and your body disappeared. Somehow, somewhere, you hoped your friends were safe, and your organic essence would reappear back home. But you had no idea. 

The clearing was gone. There was the screen, turquoise, shining on your non-existent face. You wished to put it to rest. The loop’s end. 

You let go. 

1.0.

1.0.

1.0.

1.0.

**2.0.**


End file.
